What is Store Brands Month
The basics of Store Brands Month and why it matters for your business.
What is Store Brands Month?
Store Brands Month is a month‑long consumer campaign every January that brings together retailers, manufacturers, and brokers to promote store brand products nationwide.
This direct‑to‑consumer program was created to spotlight the quality, innovation, and value of store brands directly to shoppers.
The inaugural celebration launched in January 2025 and PLMA coordinates a national program each year with tools, messaging, promotional assets, and employee education across the US.
Why does it matter for retailers?
Store brands now account for one of every four products purchased in US grocery stores, and consumers can save one‑third or more every time they choose a store brand over a national brand. The category is at record highs:
- $282.8 billion in total 2025 sales, an all‑time record
- 21.3% dollar share and 23.5% unit share, both all‑time highs
- Store brand dollar sales grew almost 3x the rate of national brands in 2025
- +$64.8 billion in dollar sales over the past five years, a 30% increase
Store Brands Month is a turnkey opportunity to drive shopper trial, deepen loyalty, and tell your own brand story at a moment when national media and industry press are focused on the category.
What does success look like?
- Increased consumer attention to store brand quality, value, uniqueness, and innovation
- Expanded penetration of your own brands
- Greater consumer loyalty, trial, and repeat purchase
- Enhanced shelf visibility that reinforces store loyalty
Who started Store Brands Month?
With a committee comprised of retailers, manufacturers, brokers, and trade suppliers, PLMA launched Store Brands Month in January 2025 to give the industry a shared platform for celebrating all things private label.
This program is built on a partnership of manufacturing capabilities, broker execution, and retailer implementation, all working together to drive consumer engagement.
How to Participate
Costs, social channels, and supplier communication for your January program.
Does it cost anything to participate?
No. All Store Brands Month assets are provided free of charge. Any execution costs (printing, displays, media) are at your discretion.
What social channels should we use?
For consumer‑facing activity, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube are the best ways to reach consumers, but you should rely on your marketing team’s expertise and consumer preferences.
LinkedIn and X remain the best channels for B2B posts sharing company participation. This can also be done by individual employees who want to promote their company, store brands, or category responsibility.
Don’t forget to comment, like, and repost Store Brands Month content on your feed to gain greater exposure for the program.
What do we need to communicate to suppliers and brokers?
Forecast and communicate your January plans by category and item to suppliers and brokers as early as possible. Early visibility ensures inventory availability, timely delivery, and any in‑market support partners can align to your activation. The earlier they know, the better they can staff, produce, and merchandise.
Retailer Eligibility
Who can participate and which retailers have already run Store Brands Month campaigns.
Who is eligible to participate?
Any US‑based retailer that carries store brand, private label, or own brand products is eligible. This includes supermarkets, club stores, drug, convenience, mass‑merchandise, dollar, specialty stores, and pure‑play e‑commerce.
Which retailers have participated in Store Brands Month?
Store Brands Month has included a broad mix of national, regional, and independent retailers.
Can independent and regional retailers participate?
Absolutely. Store Brands Month is designed to work for retailers of any size. Many independents use the toolkit as a turnkey January marketing program without needing internal creative resources.
What about retailers outside the US?
The PLMA Store Brands Month program is focused on the US market.
PLMA Support
How PLMA helps you run a successful Store Brands Month.
What’s in the retailer toolkit?
- Official Store Brands Month logos, badges, and brand guidelines
- Industry facts and consumer insights sourced from Circana Unify+
- Promotional idea library and retailer case studies
What resources does PLMA provide beyond assets?
- Store Brands Month Committee drives industry‑wide advocacy and thought leadership
- Circana Unify+ monthly reports deliver category and consumer insights exclusive to PLMA
- National consumer and trade media outreach plus coordinated social media amplification during January
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Who do I contact with questions?
For an immediate response, contact Suzanne Caputo, Director of Retail Trade Relations, at scaputo@plma.com with any questions you may have about Store Brands Month.
Or, email storebrandsmonth@plma.com for more information.